The end of Voile's 3p binding - RIP

[MikeK]

5/8" is within the range I would expect, so it's probably the same bill thickness as the Alaska and 1575. I think I actually measured mine at 0.6" within a few thousands. That's actually closer to 15.25mm.

The question is what vintage your bindings are? Your CRBs look like the old style. The HW's look like the new, but who knows when Voile actually changed them?

If you are using the cable, it's probably not a big deal as you'd keep the boot wedged in the binding. I think where it is a problem, and why Johnny brought it up is when you are using just the pins. Then you are relying on the bail and the pins only to keep the boot from sliding back.

The Alaska, as I noted is really soft rubber. I think that is intentional as well because I'm pretty sure they designed this boot as a touring boot, and not a downhill boot. If flexes great. But it's also weak in the pin holes.

I'm really wondering how well a smiley plate will work as well being as soft and thin as it is. Adding the extra screw holes might weaken it enough to split.

All that said the Alaska is not a really great boot from the sole aspect. It just has a really soft, snug fit.

I think, as was mentioned before, that what we are suggesting is to keep those boots working the longest, you might want to consider using an older style binding that will clamp the shit out of it.

I wouldn't want to shim it with the tape because the pins are tapered and pin engagement will be much less. A good fall and you'd probably rip the bottom of the sole.

Honestly - I'd say if you love the Alaska, stick with the ST. If you have the money, get the Svartisen. It's a really nice boot as far as I can tell and it has a thicker, beefier bill that will probably hold up better to real XCD skiing and works with the current bindings.

And as my comment before, maybe Alpina will redesign the boots to fit these new bindings but seen as how they promote Rotte bindings, I'm not thinking they were worried about what Voile was doing...

http://shop.alpinasportsus.com/en/categ ... ry_id=8795

[Raventele]

Any toe box made for those old CRB's is def going to be for the thicker dimensions, but with adapter plates you can use any 3p or 3pc with the CRB you want..But still, I think my newest 3pc goes back more than 2 years for sure..
My 3PHW's are all newer and the 2175's I have actually are ok in them , which most likely means Alpina saw fit to save a few pennies and went from 15+ to 13 or so on DB thickness recently..
I doubt a single layer of anti-ice will sacrifice much by way of pin hold..
But the simplest, least risky thing to do with the Alaskans would be to sandpaper the tops of the DB's a bit and then lay down a layer of Shoe Goo (maybe JB Weld ??) , place a shim made of milk jug plastic over the Goo or Weld and then put a light layer over that.. I would tend to using Goo as an epoxy is probably going to crack under the bail pressure..

[MikeK]

No they didn't go to 13mm... they are the same as yours. Johnny said his were between 15 and 16mm. Mine were too. 4 pairs measured in that range - I'd say they are the same.

I think some of the old style xc shoes were thin, like 13mm or so... that's probably obsolete by now.

I think Johnny is just wrenching the shit out those boots so he needs the clamp load. If you are just kicking and gliding around the third detent is probably fine. I've been doing this since I read the first thread and I haven't had an issue, but I haven't been going down many hills or turning my skis much.

[Raventele]

Well, then if I were LJ, I would just put down a new layer of goo after each outing..
Seriously, that should do..

[MikeK]

Yeah maybe - but if I were in his situation I'd sell those 3pcs (seen as how he doesn't use the cable) and get some used STs. He could probably sell the 3pc's for enough to buy new sets of STs.

I'm not that worried about it - I'll probably use my Crispi's for more dh type skiing as long as they are worthy. I might switch my E99 and Glittertinds over to STs because those are mainly what I'll ski with the Alaskas - I'd like them to last a long time, they were damn expensive.

When I bought my bindings the main reason I bought mountaineers is because the heel piece had a climbing wire option and I thought I'd use that. I haven't yet felt the need for it so I don't see much of any need to cling onto the HD mountaineer over the ST.

[Teleman]

Kinda skimmed this here thread....get Rotta ST's....Jonny will like them as they are retro.....weigh 11oz....and you can crank them.....Don't need no stinkin cables....er....TM

[MikeK]

Kinda skimmed this here thread....get Rotta ST's....Jonny will like them as they are retro.....weigh 11oz....and you can crank them.....Don't need no stinkin cables....er....TM

That was kind of the moral of the story in a roundabout way.

One good piece of information did come though - Older Alpina boots have the same duckbill as the new ones. So even some old boots may be problematic (depending on how you view this as a problem) with the newer style Voile bindings.

I'm convinced because Alpina and Rotte seem to be somehow business partners that even the new ST bindings will work with Alpina boots.

[Johnny]

That was not a post about how to spend 95$ on a useless binding that won't fit your boots, nor how to weld it or do some more esoteric modifications to accommodate that brand new 95$ 2014 binding you just bought to your brand new 250$ 2014 boots.

I have several pairs of Super Telemarks, that was not the point either.

The point was simply: This is the end of an era. It's sad. Voile won't support STANDARD NORDIC NORM boots anymore. Johnny is sad. And that's it.

All of the 3p XC shoes from the last decades are all 15mm and below. Alpina are making GREAT boots in the good old XC tradition, and I totally love that old school 15mm duckbill. It's the way it should be. I can use any bindings with them, I can ski with any XC skis with 75mm bindings, no matter the brand. Even all those old 'Rat trap' kind of XC bindings. Only the new Voile bindings are problematic. And that is the sad thing.

Rottefella would never do this. They basically invented the rat trap binding. The name Rottefella itself means Rat Trap. They are a real XC company. So sad, I really liked Voile's stuff...

Don't need no stinkin cables....

^^^^^

[Rodbelan]

Johnny, you should go with cold weld... JB should do the trick. Very easy to use, not too liquid, you can add a couple of mill smooth layer... Better than shoe goo in my view—too sticky, ça va arracher à chaque fois que tu enlèves tes skis...

[MikeK]

In regards to an end of an era - I don't know much about Voile's history, but their current product line has really no ties to xc. Just one look at the skis they make and it's apparent. XCD is not what they are about despite what the Charger and Vector BC fans may say.